How To Send In Water For Ward Labs Test - Page 8

**ajdelange** · 09-15-2011, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkarp

Actually, Ward Labs' instructions are as follows:

I guess I need to reword to: Instructions should say.... Most labs instructions are clear on this point. Remember that Ward Labs primarily serves agricultural users whose needs are not quite the same as brewers. As they mishandle the carbonate/bicarbonate calculation I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they are lax in instruction on how to obtain a sample for an accurate alkalinity measurement.

**flatrockbrewing** · 11-24-2011, 09:44 AM

Is ward lab still in business? Their website has been down for a few days.

mabrungard · 11-24-2011, 12:44 PM

Still in business, the website https://producers.wardlab.com/default.aspx seems to work fine now.

Remember, you only need to send in a small water sample. 4 oz is OK. A White Labs yeast vial is about 4 oz.

**1971hemicuda** · 12-09-2011, 06:33 PM

http://www.wardlab.com/images/SampleForms/HomeBrewer.pdf

Looks like they have a nice test just for us homebrewers too!

**ResumeMan** · 12-23-2011, 06:43 PM

I'm a bit confused by that "beer test." Is it supposed to be for samples of your beer or your brewing water (Looks like water, but...).

If I'm reading this right, the only difference between the three tests is:

1. Both the Household Complete and Beer test iron, Household doesn't
2. Beer tests phosphorous, the other two don't
3. Household Complete tests fluoride the other two don't.
4. The Household Complete reports "Hardness" and the Beer and Household report "Hardness (Lime)"

So what is the difference between "Hardness" and "Hardness (Lime)"?

Again, assuming that this "Beer" analysis is for water and not actual beer, I don't see any reason to go with that rather than the usual Household. I saw Bobby_M upthread a page or 2 suggesting an analysis that would maybe eliminate things like conductivity and TDS and add chlorine/chloramine. That would be worthwhile.

Am I misunderstanding something?

mabrungard · 12-23-2011, 11:53 PM

Don't bother with the more expensive testing. It provides information that is relatively meaningless to brewing. You don't need to know what the phosphorus or fluorine levels are in your water and you can typically tell if the iron content is too high by your own tasting. So, the iron test is useless too.

That $16.50 test is all you need to quantify your brewing water. Save that extra $10 for something worthwhile!

manoaction · 01-13-2012, 08:33 PM

For those of you who have city water reports, have you noticed a big difference between what the city reports and what you actually have?

brew2enjoy · 01-18-2012, 07:40 PM

Sent my water sample out last Friday. I am hoping to get results before this weekend. I plan on brewing a batch of BM's Centennial Blonde this weekend and I want to make sure my water is going to work for a lighter beer.